Automatic switch and signal.



No. 897,098. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908. M. I. HAULTER.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH AND SIGNAL.

APPLIOATION TILED 00T.23,1907.

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No. 897,098. I PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908. M. 1. HAULTER.

AUTOMATIG SWITCH AND SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED 001223, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

MERL'I. HAULTER, OF SHIPPENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TOJ. BRUCE MCOREARY, OF SHIPPENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH AND SIGNAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERL I. HAULTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shippensburg, in the county of Cumberland and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Switches and Signals, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic railway switches andsignals, and the object is to provide such a means whereby the train mencan draw a certain lever on the car which will strike a projection alongthe road which will throw the switch, and at the same time turn thesignal, and as it passes on to the switch it again returns the switch,so that the main line is clear, and turns the signal to show a cleartrack, but While it is passing into the switch the signal stands atdanger. These switches and signals can be operated by hand as well asautomatically.

The invention relates to certain novel features of construction andcombinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view; Fig. 2 is asectional view through the switch connecting mechanism; Fig. 3 is aperspective View of one of the switch levers, and Fig.- 4 is a view ofthe lever tripping mechanism.

A represents the railroad track, and B the side track. Connectingbetween the main track A and the side track B is a switch C. I

Along the track or road-bed the usual signal standards 1, 1 are placed,carrying the signals 2, 2.

Along the track, and preferably between the end signals and centralsignals, are switch levers 3, 3. The switch levers near the end signalsare preferably provided with a single lever, but the'levers placed nearthe centralsignal and between the side and main tracks have doublelevers, and these levers are all supported upon bearing blocks 4, 4.

The double levers are provided on one-side with squared shoulders 5, 5,which bear against flat springs 6, 6 placed on the bearing blocks 4, 4,thereby causing a frictional movement, or a tendency to keep the leversfrom becoming displaced or being easily Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. October 23, 1907.

Patented Aug. 25, 1908.

Serial No. 398,799.

moved from the position left by the passing train.

The double switch levers are shown preferably with a hook end, and whenone lever is down, the other is standing upright, and in position to bestruck by the tripping mechanism of the car. These levers are preferablyin alinement with each other, so that they are always certain to bestruck when the tripping mechanism is in position to trip them. Theobject in having the hooked ends is to provide the tripping mechanismmeans for easily sliding over the tops. The single levers are made likethe double levers, with the exception that one of the levers is cut offat the base or near the connection to the bearing block, as it is onlynecessary to have a single lever at or near the end signals. Thesesignals and switch arms are all conne'cted together by means of rods 7,7. Taking one of the end signals it is first connected by means of therod 7 to the first single switch lever by any suitable means, and thenthe rod extends over pulleys 8, S to a cross bar 9, which is pivotallymounted upon a post 10. The rod 11 asses over pulleys 8, 8 to the doubleswitcfi lever beyond the central signal from the cross bar 9. Extendingfrom the cross-bar 9 is the rod 12 passing over the pulleys S, S to thesingle lever, and from the single lever to the other end signal, therebyrod. 18, and also connected to the main rail of the switch. Betweenthese two connecting ends of the rods 18 and 19 a coil spring 20encircles both rods and is held between their ends, thereby forming aspring connection and allowing a certain amount of play for the handlever 14 when the switch is being thrown, if it happens to be thrown bythe hand lever, and the same result is obtained when the switch isthrown out automatically,

by reason of the fact that the hand lever 14 is connected to the rod 12by a coupling 26 and the lever is preferably locked to this coupling.This connection of the two rods can replace the single rod which is nowused, and performs an additional function and allows a better leverageinstead of a dead pull of the single rod when the switch is beingthrown. The central signal, which is placed on the outer side or beyondthe rods 11 and 12, is connected to the lever arm 16 by a connecting rod21.

The tripping mechanism, which is placed on the end of a car or engine,can be any suitable means, but I have shown one form having a trough orchute 22 secured to the car, and in this chute a bar 23 is capable ofbeing slid back and forth by means of a lever 24 and a bell crank 25,the lever operated throwing the bar 23 outward, which is adapted tostrike the switch arms for either throwing the switch for the main lineor for the side track, as is desired. The rod 7 is made in two parts,and is provided with a spring 27 between the ends to relieve the jar ofthe en gine upon the rods.

The operation can be ascertained from the foregoing, butto-recapitulate, the operation is as follows :The switch is thrown sothat there is a clear main track, but it is desired to take the sidetrack; therefore, the tripping mechanism is thrown outward so that thebar 23 strikes the only standing switch lever, which is one of thelevers of the double lever. As the bar strikes this lever it immediately transmits motion to the rod 12, which causes the hand lever 14to move, and the-cross bar 9. Through the motion transmitted to the handlever 14 the switch is caused to be thrown so that the side track can beentered, and by the motion transmitted to the crossbar 9 the doubleswitch lever between the main and side tracks is caused to turn, so thatwhen the train passes through this switch, it can strike the lever andthrow the switch back in position, if desired, for a clear main track.This same motion operates both end signals and causes all of the leversalong the track to take an upright position, and the central signal isalso turned as the hand lever 14 throws the switch in position for theside track indicating danger, but as soon as the train takes the sidetrack and strikes the double lever, it immediately causes the signals tobe turned to show a clear track, and at the same time throwing theswitch over, so that the main track is clear and safe. Should. it happenthat the car should come between the signals, and the tripping mechanismwas not used, and it was desired to take the side track, the lockingmeans could be taken from the coupling 26, which holds the hand lever14, and the hand lever could be thrown, whereby the switch could bethrown independently of the signal mechanism excepting the centralsignal. The end levers are only used when the switch has been left openby any 7 means, and by the tripping mechanism the switch can be thrownto the position desired.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the several parts described without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limitmyself to the exact construction herein set forth, but:

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to secure by LettersPatent is 1. I11 an automatic switch and signal, the combination withswitch rails and switch op erating mechanism comprising a pivotallymounted hand lever, a lever arm to which one end of the hand lever ispivotally connected, and a rod connected with the switch rails and towhich the lever arm is pivotally connected, and means detachablyconnected with the hand lever adapted to be actuated by the passingtrain to shift the switch rails, said means comprising switch levers androds, the switch levers being pivotally sup ported in the path of apassing ocomotive or train, and one of the rods connected to the handlever.

2. In an automatic switch and signal, the combination with switch railsand switch operating mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted handlever, a lever arm to which one end of the hand lever is pivotallyconnected, and a rod connected with the switch rails and to which thelever arm is pivotally connected, and means detachably connected withthe hand lever adapted to be actuated by the passing train to shift theswitch rails, said means com arising switch levers and rods, the switchlevers being pivotally supported in the path of a passing locomotive ortrain, and one of the rods detachably connected to the hand lever.

3. In an automatic switch and signal, the combination with switch railsand switch operating mechanism comprising a pivotally mounted handlever, a lever arm to which one end. of the hand lever is pivotallyconnected, and a rod connected with the switch rails and to which thelever arm is pivotally connected, and means detachably connected withthe hand lever adapted to be actuated by the passing train to shift theswitch rails,

said means comprising switch levers and v rods, the switch levers beingpivotally sup-,

levers and end signals, a lever connected to l of the switch levers, andmeans connecting 10 said means, a lever arm connected to the letheswitch levers with the signals and switch. ver, means connecting thecentral signal and i In testimony whereof I EL'l'llX my signature leverarm, and spring-controlled means con-W in presence of two witnesses.nected to the switch and ever arm.

5. An automatic switch and signal, com- 1 MERL HAULTER' prising switchlevers, said switch levers havl VVitnSesses:A

A. NGLE I ing squared shoulders, means bearing against t ELMER E. ZINN.

said shoulders for controlling the inovcmen

